Community of Faith Profile Fort Saskatchewan First United Church
Mission Engaged in our community, Offering hope through Christ. Vision Rooted in social justice, enabling spiritual growth and Nurturing the faith of our community. Inclusive of every age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation and colour in all aspects of our ministry. Known and involved in our community. Offering dynamic worship, music and learning For all ages, from infants to elders. A Church that Welcomes All.
Congregants and Programs
As an affirming and welcoming church, we are without a minister now. We are currently exploring all the possibilities – collaboration, partnership, designated congregation ministry and part-time ministry. The Minister will be supported by a part-time administrative assistant (27hrs/wk) and an awesome worship team. Services are held at 10 am Sunday and are a mix of physical attendance and live stream/recording.
We have been intentional in becoming an Affirming Church and our Mission and Vision Statements indicate we are a Church that welcomes all!
We have been blessed to have a part-time Pastoral Care Coordinator. The church family realizes that this individual fills a huge gap with her love and caring. Our CARE Team, a group of very dedicated volunteers shares this ministry through phone calls, cards and visits. They are responding to individuals in times of crisis, such as illness or bereavement. The CARE Team also organizes Reconnect Events, reaching out to people that haven’t been to church in awhile. Our First United family strives to be a caring community where each person can feel the love of God being shared with one another.
First United has an active Music Ministry which boasts a grand piano and an accomplished pianist that makes it sing. There is a group of singers who leads us in music, and a vocal quartet called Agape. The Resounding Joy Bell Choir has four point five (4.5) octaves of handbells and four (4) octaves of chimes. This church family loves its music! Point of interest: Resounding Joy shares their music ministry every 4-6 weeks by providing prelude and anthem music and accompanying congregational hymns. It is always a delight to hear them play at community events outside the church.
We have a strong tradition of involving lay members in the leadership of worship. We enjoy a spirited traditional service representative of many political and theological spectrums, united by the common desire to experience and represent Christ. We welcome variation and forward-thinking forms of worship, and our desire is for meaningful Sunday worship that is relevant to people’s lives and is diverse in tone. Point of interest: First United is fortunate to have two Licensed Lay Worship Leaders in the congregation. Their devoted service is much appreciated.
There are currently two opportunities for learning and Bible study within our congregation. The first is an ongoing study using the series "The Chosen". Seasons 1 and 2 are completed and Season 3 will begin in the Spring. The second is a ten-week Zoom Bible Study, "Exodus, Jesus and Us", led by the Minister of St. Andrew’s United Church in Cochrane, Alberta. It is very exciting to have these opportunities for learning together.
Our church is our connection to God, to each other and to ourselves. We think of ourselves as a "church family or God family". We live, listen and communicate with each other.
Outreach and Social Justice
Our First United family endeavors to reflect our Mission Statement and Values as we play a role in our community. Our community of faith has a strong ministry of outreach, both locally and through Mission & Service. We are called to seek justice and equality for others. Over the years, our church has become a place to support exciting activities, including:
Leisure Days Adult Day Support Services, a non-profit which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays for games, crafts, lunch and companionship, and provides a short reprieve for care givers. The Girl Guides use our hall and even had a camp-out in our hall one weekend in January. More than three dozen women from the community have formed The Fort Saskatchewan Quilting Guild and rent space in our building. This lively group meets on Wednesdays, although some of them can be found working any day of the week. Connections Psychological Services Inc. have an office in our building; they say it is much more discreet than a store front. AA and Alanon also meet here in the evenings.
We have many dedicated volunteers who help run our church programmes. We have had Fall Turkey Suppers, Turkey Pie Sales, Bake Sales and Garage Sales. We have provided Breakfast with Santa, catering for funerals and events, and Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, all of which have been well received by the community. Last year we started having our Pancake Supper on the Saturday prior to the date and advertising it as a Community Pancake Supper and Games Night. This will be happening again in 2024 as another way to welcome and provide some reasonably priced food and connection to our community. Our Catering group is fantastic, to say the least, and last year donated over $12,000 to the church. Our Property Team helps keep the church in good repair, the Outreach group is tireless in getting things done and the very efficient Official Board keeps everyone well informed.
The church holds social events where there is considerable conversation and laughter, soup lunch after service, potlucks and games nights. Point of interest: In 2023 we held our first family friendly New Year’s Eve party and there are plans to offer it to the wider community in 2024!
Outside of our doors, several people are involved with the local Food Bank to which the church regularly contributes. The United Church Women’s Group collects for A Safe Place (Women’ Shelter) and layettes for the Bissell Centre. Through our Meal Appeal Campaign, we provide funding to our local schools to provide breakfast or lunch for students. We have had five of our members volunteer at the local Boys and Girls Club, which is just fun. And recently, one of our members was elected to the Fort Saskatchewan Pride Committee Council, while another co-founded a group to support Ukrainian newcomers fleeing the war. Point of interest: The longest running group at First United is the UCW and currently meet regularly for coffee, conversation and mutual support.
Facility
First United Church’s home is a large well equipped wheelchair accessible building. There is a spacious double aisle sanctuary, fitted with up-to-date audio, video and live stream systems. We have tech teams who project the service information on the screens and live stream our services on YouTube. We have a bright narthex where coffee is available and where a lot of conversation and community building take place before and after services. On the main floor there is also our Sunday School room, a space for Archives and the equipment of Resounding Joy (our bell choir), a meeting room which contains our library, and washrooms.
The second floor includes pleasant, well-equipped offices for our Minister, Administrative Assistant and Treasurer, a photocopy room, a mail room, a large office space and a small cozy meeting room. In our basement there is a modern hall that seats 350, as well as three adjoining rooms, a licensed commercial- grade kitchen, a storage area/office and washrooms. We also have a lower level below our office wing which contains 2 large rooms, storage and a washroom with a shower. All levels are accessible via elevator. Point of interest: The current church site has been home to a Presbyterian Church in 1882, a Methodist Church was constructed in 1902 and became the United Church in 1925. In March of 1947, a fire destroyed the building. It was rebuilt, expanded in 1961, and construction of the current Sanctuary was completed and dedicated in November 1993. There has been a church here for 142 years!
Areas For Growth
We must describe our current financial situation as struggling. We are recovering from a difficult financial situation, attributable in large part to COVID and the resulting restriction of in-person church attendance. Another and possibly the more significant factor, is that our congregation is aging. This has also resulted in a decline in church attendance and the corresponding regular givings. We are always looking for ways to attract new members, and to rebuild our Sunday School and Youth ministries.
We are very grateful for the willingness of our congregation to become an Affirming Church. We believe that this, coupled with our reputation as a welcoming home, is beginning to attract people. It seems we see new faces every Sunday and members transferring in on a regular basis. We have remained deeply rooted in faith through some interesting and taxing times. Now we are in a time of transition, as we navigate the challenge of how best to continue to carry our shared sense of purpose, identity and faith into the world. Point of interest: Earlier in discussions, a theme for our interim time was considered. We agreed that "Flexing Our Faith" was an appropriate mandate to adopt as we move forward, recognizing the need to be honest, open-minded and willing to listen.
First United has a strong core group of volunteers who will work with our minister to build a strong and vibrant faith community. We respect that our situation has changed, and we are open to what God has in store for us. Energetic, engaging and enthusiastic describe this church community. Our Minister should be one who also portrays these traits!
Community
First United Church is in the City of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. It is a smallish city of approximately 29,000, situated on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River, 15 minutes east of Alberta’s capital city of Edmonton. Fort Saskatchewan is in Treaty 6 territory, which encompasses the lands of the Cree, Dakota, Nakota, Saulteaux, and the homelands of the Metis nation.
The city is accessed by two highways, 21 and 15, and is bordered by the County of Strathcona and Sturgeon County. The Fort’s history began in 1875 when the North West Mounted Police founded the Fort on the river. It was primarily a farming community until 1952, when greater industrialization was brought to the area by Sherritt Gordon Mines. Plants in the area include Dow Chemical Canada, Nutrien, Sherritt International, Plains Midstream, Oerlikon Metco Canada and Shell Canada to name a few. The primary industry clusters are petrochemical manufacturing, fabrication, transportation and advanced manufacturing. Point of interest: Recently, Dow Chemical announced that Fort Saskatchewan will be the site of the multi-million dollar Path2Zero expansion project that will create the first net-zero carbon emissions integrated ethylene.
Fort Saskatchewan residents enjoy the convenience of a big city, along with the comfort and charm of a small town. The great community spirit and the friendly people help newcomers settle in and feel right at home. Getting around is easy and everything you might need can be found right here. There are two local transit routes provided by Fort Saskatchewan Transit (FST) that serve most neighbourhoods in the city. It currently connects riders to the Sherwood Park Transit Station commuter bus.
Fort Saskatchewan is home to many young families, as well as an active Senior population. It is a largely self-contained community which boasts the modern amenities desired by families of all ages. Point of interest: From food to furniture, fast food to fine dining, fishing to football and festivals to a Farmers Market....Fort Saskatchewan has it all. Excellent schools are operated by Elk Island Public and Elk Island Catholic School Districts. There is also a Christian School with programmes from kindergarten to Grade 9. Post-secondary education is easily accessed in nearby Edmonton.
Fort Saskatchewan offers many recreational opportunities. The Dow Centennial Centre houses an ice arena, gym, field house, an indoor track and a fitness centre. In addition, the city has two more arenas, the Harbour Pool, Taurus Field (soccer and football), numerous ball diamonds, a curling rink, Nordic Ski Club, a Golf Course and many parks and trails. Point of interest: There are more than 400 hectares of parks and green spaces in Fort Saskatchewan, including 50 km of paved walking and biking trails along the river valley.
Culture is not overlooked. The Dow Centre is home to the Shell Theatre, a 540 seat Performing Arts space which hosts many well-known artists each year. The same building houses The Alberta Lottery Fund Art Gallery and the Fort Saskatchewan Pottery Guild. The Public Library is a marvelous place that offers many programmes for every age group. There are also a great number of service and interest groups which support the community. Among these are Lions, Rotary Club, Families First, and The Boys and Girls Club. Cultural groups include the Fort Saskatchewan Multi-cultural Society, the Indigenous Society of Fort Saskatchewan, the Fort Black Community and the Fort Saskatchewan Pride Council. Fort Saskatchewan has a large, well-equipped hospital (Fort Saskatchewan Community Health Center) with a 24-hour emergency department. There is also an extended care facility (Rivercrest Care Center), a level 4 extended care home (Fort Saskatchewan Care Community) and a seniors' facility (Dr. Turner Lodge). There are numerous medical clinics, dental practices and physio centers.
Members of our church family live in Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park, Edmonton, the County of Strathcona and Sturgeon County.